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by Warpony



Series: Feral Echoes [23]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brother Feels, Gen, Little Bit of Shadowgast, M/M, Sibling Bonding, reconnecting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:02:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25068853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warpony/pseuds/Warpony
Summary: Essek feels something hard and sharp in himself crack a bit and his shoulders sag a little. "Let’s talk somewhere more private?"
Relationships: Verin Thelyss/Original Character(s)
Series: Feral Echoes [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711534
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38





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When Verin arrives on the teleportation circle in Rosohna three days passed his due arrival he looks anything but contrite, standing easy and straight backed in the still glowing circle of runes. Essek waited next to Dusk Captain Quana in the teleportation hall, his hands tucked into his robes to keep from fidgeting so close to the highest general in the Kryn Dynasty. He was trying not to picture Quana suddenly spinning, declaring him a traitor and hewing his head from his shoulders in a single blow.

Essek was a strange mix of grateful and unsettled when Verin finally arrived.

The knight certainly was not dressed to be received; bare chested in only loose breeches and boots. Though for what it’s worth he clutched a shirt in his hand. His skin is darkened an almost plum color, a touch burned from the sun as he romped for three days on the _Ball-Eater_ in the Lucidian Ocean. The dusting of freckles on his face and shoulders standing out bright white, his hair windswept and tangled in a loose ponytail. Around one wrist was a layered bracelet woven of silver chain, obsidian beads and particularly recognizable cerulean hair... Brunnera's hair. 

It takes a moment for Essek to notice the jealous ache in his chest. That Verin had so casually and easily reveled in the company of the Nein. Of _his_ friends. Whom Essek had only just realized how much he desired to be with, to play and study and rollick across the ocean with. Whom he was terrified he had destroyed his bonds with by actions done before even meeting them. 

Jealousy. Yes very much jealousy... but guilt... and fear... and a number of other unpleasant emotions Essek would have liked very much to never have entertained.

Verin's eyes lit up further at seeing Essek though a bit of that feral abandon that had blown in with the knight and a whisper of salty sea air was quickly packed away. Verin knew his place and knew Essek's behind the shining gray and white stone walls of the Lucid Bastion. 

Sometimes Essek forgot that Verin had his own level of expectations and demands to be fulfilled. Taskhand. War Hero. Leader of Bazzoxan. It was easy to forget such things, even easier to forget having a brother at all. Out of sight, out of mind.

Verin tugged his shirt on, giving the Dusk Captain a respectful half bow, exchanged a few words and promising his appearance in the throne room the next morning before climbing down towards Essek. The knight gave a respectful little dip of his head, acknowledging Essek's station in the mixed company of guards and the consort of the Bright Queen. 

"Your wizard really is brilliant... he misses you, too." He said quietly, so only the Shadowhand could hear him.

Essek feels something hard and sharp in himself crack a bit and his shoulders sag a little. "Let’s talk somewhere more private?" 

Verin nodded. He followed as Essek floated just ahead of him until they'd made it back to the Shadowhand's abode. The odd three towers seemed cold, lofty and distant. When the door closed behind them the world was instantly shut out and silenced. It made Verin's heart sink a bit. Had this been how Essek had been living all these years, secluded and so cut away from the world that he couldn’t even hear the sounds of the city around him. 

Carefully Verin turned to his brother and pulled Essek in for a hug, doing so slowly so that if his brother could pull away if he truly wanted. The Shadowhand was rigid in his grip, tense at the show of affection. But Verin kept hanging on until he felt Essek relax, sink to the floor and carefully hug him back.

"Everything is going to be alright, big brother." Verin promised softly. 

"They told you?" Essek's voice is small, muffled against Verin's shoulder. 

"No. They said its better if you tell me what happened, but they're worried about you. Worried _for_ you. It can't be good, yeah?"

Essek gently pulled back, a hand weaving in the air until a pale bubble circled around them and sealed shut. Verin's shoulders dropped. He knew this spell. A shield against being heard and spied on. 

"... it’s really bad then." The knight assumed.

Essek took a breath then slowly launched into the tale. From the beginning; every detail lay bare. As the words flowed the story grew deeper and fuller than even the Nein knew. The story poured out like ichor from a long festered wound and slowly Essek felt a bit of the pressure of his burden ease in the telling. By the end of it they were sitting cross-legged on the floor and Verin's eyes were set at a middle distance, lips pressed to his folded hands as he soaked everything in.

When Essek finally went silent Verin's eyes refocused on him. 

"...Essek you've really biffed it this time."

Essek let out a bitter laugh then snuck a scared look towards his younger sibling. "I expect you'll be informing the Queen-"

"Are you out of your mind?! We are **NOT** telling the Queen. For Light's sake." Verin buried his face in his hands. "I'd sooner tell Mother and we are NOT telling her either!"

"You're a Taskhand. The Captain of the forces in Bazzoxan and a war hero. Its treason-"

"Shush!" Verin snapped. "Shush."

Essek went silent watching him measuredly. 

"I might be those things, Essek. But I was your brother long before any of them."

Essek cast his eyes down, jaw set a bit.

Verin sat up, arching his body as he inhaled then blew out slowly with an almost whistle, his whole body sagging. "I seriously need a moss and mushroom sandwich right now."

"... They are delicious." Essek admitted softly.

"... Are you going to try? To change? You already have. So much. For the better. Do you even want all the research you got in the bargain?"

Essek looked away shamefully, "I do, I cannot help it. It's my life’s work and a mystery I want to unravel desperately... and in the same moment I want nothing to do with it."

Verin nodded once resolutely. “You’ve shut yourself away in a tower for too long Essek. You need to come down. You _have_ to come down. You won't survive this otherwise... I'll help you. Keep you safe and keep your secrets but you're... you're so lost... I only hope I can help you find your way back. That the Nein can help you. If you want to try."

Essek nodded without hesitation. "I do... truly." 

"Then I have two demands of you. I know you despise rules but think of them as challenges? I think they'll suit you honestly." 

Essek watched him warily but waved him to go on. 

"First. I'm going to give Caleb, Jester and Beau permission to come and fetch you if they don't hear from you for too long. Four days. If they don't hear from you in four days they have every right to march right in here and take you out. You can't stay locked up in your laboratory anymore."

Essek huffed but there was a small pull to his lips. It wasn't a... disagreeable condition really. “You speak very much like you are the elder of us two.”

"Not elder but more mature at least.” Verin smiled a bit, “And second you need to go into the field."

Essek's face twisted a bit. Verin shook his head. 

"I'm not saying go to the front lines, go to battlefields. But you need to come to earth, see this world you so casually and callously threw away. Meet the souls in it. Follow your friends when they go on their missions for the Bright Queen or themselves or whoever or whatever they do. They've already begun to teach you. Let them carry on... I think you'll find you'll enjoy it."

Essek was silent for a moment before nodding slightly. The bubble dissolved around them. "I very well might... they are _our_ friends, Verin. Not just mine."

"Essek. Are you proposing we... _share_ something? My gods." Verin teased gently, smiling in a way that Essek's halfhearted glare slipped into a tired smile. 

"I suppose we are not too old to learn such things." Essek hummed.

**Author's Note:**

> CRITICAL ROLE IS BACK!!! YOU GUYS!!! It's so exciting its back! And of course its back just as the timeline here lines up and I planned to diverge completely.
> 
> I'm still going to kind of sort of do that. I have some major events planned for this AU that will certainly interfere with the timeline but I'll do my best to call back to and make references to the canon when it's needed. 
> 
> I'm really excited for the future guys. I hope we meet Verin (but at the same time I'm terrified if we do.)
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed! Thank you for reading!


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